Do you wonder IF your business is truly struggling…. or if what you’re experiencing is truly “normal” or should be expected?  If so, this video is for you.  6 Signs of a Struggling Business and what to do about EACH.. Feel free to start about 90 seconds in since this was originally produced as a live stream for PlanetWOW.club.

The post 6 Signs of a Struggling Business (And What to Do About Each!) appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

As I write this fun post, I’m staring down 40… and — truth be told — I’m pumped about it!  To celebrate reaching this huge milestone, I’m offering up 40 fun facts about me.  I’m wondering… for those of you who have been with me a while… how many are surprises?

1. My first name is Barbara, after my Mom’s Mom.
2. I love those zit popping videos on youtube.  Like, really love them.  I know, gross…
3. My favorite “indulgences” include: pure Bamboo sheets, pillows that are both memory foam and “cool” to the touch, Mont Blanc pens, natural bath bombs and the incredible soaking tub in my master bath.
4. My pet family  is now “down” to one cat (Boots) and one dog (Smallz.)
5. I live in a very small town and absolutely love it. We have all we need here… a Food Lion, a fabulous Mexican restaurant, an okay Sushi restaurant, a locally-owned wine store, amazing people and exquisite sunsets.
6. My Nespresso machine + milk frother is my new favorite kitchen appliance.
7. I don’t like any appliances on my kitchen counters.
8. I am nearly immune to criticism.
9. I’m unwilling to go without my (at least daily) coffee with heavy whipping cream  and pumpkin pie spice.
10. I drive maybe 4 times a week now, and love it.
11.  I home schooled my kids for several years, some of the best years of my life.
12. I (truly) grieve divorce and absolutely love marriage.
13. As a kid, one of the top reasons I looked forward to being married was being able to sleep next to someone.  To this day, it’s one of my favorite parts of marriage…. just snuggling with my Mister.
14. My Dad took me out on dates as a teenager, to set the example for how I was to be treated by a man.
15. I was taught to expect a man to open the car door for me.  Once, a guy picked me up for a date, waltzed over to the driver’s side of his car and motioned for me to get in.  I stood there. He said, “It’s open.”  I said, “I know.”  lol… He eventually got it.  I didn’t go out with him again.
16. I detest crowds, and much prefer solitude.
17. My favorite quote of all time is this, “It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion. It is easy in solitude to live after your own. But great is he, who — in the midst of a crowd — keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.” — RWE, of course.
18. I buy my mother-in-law the new Patricia Cornwell book every Christmas.  She buys me the same book.  It’s a tradition.
19. My Mom is my best friend.
20. My Mister is my other best friend.
21. I have three other “besties:”  Courtney, who grew up in the country with me and we both loved it… Denise, who is my soulmate best friend…  and Laurie, who is the friend I talk to the most.  I cannot imagine life without them and need to be better about getting together with them more.
22. My favorite Aunt is Darlene.  If you read any texts between she and my kids, you’d assume my kids were living in utter poverty.  They complain to her that there’s no food in the house.  She comes over with PILES of food (i.e. sugary snacks)  and  a tray of chicken nuggets for them.  From Chick-Fil-A of course.  Life wouldn’t be the same without her.
23. My Dad is my hero.  Hands down.  If your back is ever against a wall, you want this man at your side.
24. I cried nearly every day for  the entire month of September 2016, grieving my oldest turning 18 on October 1st.
25. I’ll never judge you for who you love, how you worship, or the color of your skin.  BUT, if I were to be totally honest, I (harshly) judge people who wake up late, who are super picky (and loud) with their food “rules,” and who invite me to play games on Facebook. Please… just don’t.
26. In high school, I  was a cheerleader, in theatre, and won Miss Junior Teen Richmond  at 15.
27. My son has me wrapped around his finger…. always has.
28. I was the OPPOSITE of a Bridezilla when I got married.  My approach was this, “If at the end of the day, I’m Mrs. Pippin, it will have gone perfectly.”  I was, and it did.
29. I am totally ashamed to admit it… but I am 100% hooked on the current season of The Bachelor.  Frankly, I’ve never been able to watch it before.  As the mother of 2 teenage girls, the idea of 25 women chasing after one man disgusts me.  But, OH…. this season somehow reeled me in.
30. When I heard that  former President Obama referred to some Americans as “clinging to their Bibles and guns,” I honestly didn’t think to take it as an insult.  I cheerfully and proudly cling to both.
31. One of my absolute greatest joys is watching Shelbey play softball with the same girls she’s played with since she was about 8 years old.  I anxiously look forward to it every year.
32. I’ve met and shaken the hand of only one President:  President Obama.  He and his wife were gracious and engaging and it was a huge honor.
33. My goals for 2017 are ginormous… and this wakes me up every morning with an excitement I can’t adequately express.
34. I only drink water, wine and coffee.    Ever.
35. I make AMAZING “spa water,” if I do say so myself, which I drink all day long.  Chunks of FRESH GINGER and tons of ice sets my water apart from all others. =)
36. My Mom tried to instill in me SOME sense of modesty.  It didn’t take.
37. I find typical small talk absolutely painful to endure.  I’m still irritated about the 40 minute conversation I had to sit through 5 years ago while a group of housewives discussed a rug they DIDNT EVEN BUY.  40 minutes.  Seriously, I could have knit that same rug in less time…
38. My (current) favorite Bible verse is 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the spirit God gives us doesn’t make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 
39. I have family in the White House, the Penthouse AND the “big house.”  We’re diverse like that.
40. My favorite ice cream is Ben&Jerry’s Half Baked and I melt it before eating it.

The post 40 Things About Me, At 40. appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Last week, I heard from one of our Women Who WOW members, who all have access to me daily in our Facebook group and via private message on Facebook.  She was down.  I wouldn’t say “down and out,” but close.

• Money was an issue, despite having had an enormously successful (most money earned to date) month in January.
• Prospects were becoming evasive, committing (Saying Yes!)  but not paying and not returning emails.
• All the excitement and energy that defined her in January was fading fast and $$ worries were quickly replacing the dreaming and scheming our WOW tribe loves so much.

Now, I’m absolutely relentless about being resourceful, and  — because of this — am often compared to a  “Depression era kid.”  If there’s ANYTHING to use to better my situation, and in this case, the situation for my beloved member, I’ll find it and I’ll use it.    So, in our virtual heart-to-heart, I looked around and I saw that the STRONGEST thing she had in that moment was her despair, her frustration, her fear.

I’ve been here myself, of course, so it wasn’t hard to empathize.

Many may have suggested that she ignore it… push play anyway… “act as if” until “it really was.”  There ARE times when I suggest this, but not last week.   Instead, I encouraged her to throw herself into this despair… to make it part of the content she was creating for her tribe.  To WRITE her way FREE, and allow it to serve others.  

Every day brings us something that we can use:

• A news story we can piggy back on, in an effort to enter the conversation of our target market.
• A particularly strong emotion we can use to empathize and connect more deeply with our tribe.
• A chance to rise and up and fully own our own stage.
• The opportunity to be recklessly authentic.
• The courage to make a huge ask.
• Rainy days –and for my members in the NE, recent snow days —  bring with them the focus necessary to knock out a bunch of content.

See my point? A relentless approach to DAILY SUCCESS requires an opportunistic mindset that is simply second nature…. your MODUS OPERANDI…. In other words, regardless of how you are feeling… regardless of the reading on your emotional temperature gauge, you show up, look around and look for the opportunities inherent in EVERY SINGLE DAY and OPPORTUNITY.  

I am facing an exciting challenge in my business RIGHT NOW.  The up side is huge, and the down side is daunting.  But… in BOTH the up side AND the potential downside are unimaginable opportunities to leverage.

And so, it’s off to work I go.  Looking around for resources, focusing on the goal and realizing that success is created DAILY….

Moment to moment, what I bring into my business matters.   Someone famous (I’m not sure who) said that “We often overestimate what we can do in 10 years and underestimate what we can do in one.”   I whole heartedly agree, and would add:

We often over-estimate the success we can create in a YEAR… but MAINLY because we UNDER-estimate the success we can create TODAY.  

Today is all any of us have.  Let’s leave it all on the battlefield of business….

The post My Relentless Approach to Daily Success appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Do you REALLY want your business to be profitable? Successful?
Do you want to be known, desired &  pursued in your industry?

Then, make it ALL about your people.  It’s really that simple.   If you want WILD success, at some point you’ve got to make it ALL about the people you serve.

Let me go a little deep on you for a minute.  (I promise it’s relevant.)  More than a decade ago, I seriously  pondered my personal purpose.  During that time, I came to a revelation that shifted everything for me:

A life well-lived, for me, would mean that the BEST parts of my own story would be most eloquently illustrated on the pages of someone else’s book.

In other words, my BEST days, my BEST stuff would be about other people.   My Mister, my kids, my parents, my brother, my family and friends,  my clients and my members.

This is so incredibly true in business.   Every time I make it about me… what I need, what I want, what I think I deserve… something falls flat and I realize immediately that my focus was off.  When the lens  of my business is pointed at me, I’m off track.  But, when I’m hustling every day, serving my members, serving my clients… I can barely keep up with the momentum of this little business of mine.

So, true success for Women Who WOW requires that I make it — everything, the content, the events, the conversations, the community —  all about YOU.

Seeing you.
Serving you.
Asking what you need.
Delivering that.
Having ongoing and intimate conversations.
I think this is what simplifies business.  Back before the Industrial Revolution, when MOST of us were self-employed, the failure rate of business was low.  In fact, MOST Americans supported their homes and families as self-bossers.   They didn’t think as much about branding or logos or bios or niches.  All of these things were created as a BY-PRODUCT of just serving people.

Fast forward to 2017 and the failure rate of small business is still at an appalling and stubborn 80%.

Woefully unacceptable.
And absolutely unnecessary.  

In March, Women Who WOW members from all over the world will meet in Dallas, TX for Women Who WOW LIVE! In two days together, we’ll SIMPLIFY success … boiling it down to strategies that  create both  ULTIMATE freedom and MAXIMUM profit.   This even WILL sell out, and you don’t want to miss it.  Register here, or at least take a look at all we have going on.

Believe me…. I am the consummate homebody and I know — intimately — how EASY it is to justify NOT going to an event.  Bad timing.  Too far.  Inconvenient flights.  Dreading being away from your business — or family — for too long.  Too much money.  Taxes are coming up.  Leaving for ANY trip means you’ve got to work twice as hard before you leave and THREE times as hard when you return.  Childcare is an issue. Who will get the kids to school or home from practice?

Told you, I GET IT.  But hear this:

This event is about YOUR success… 
defined by creating ULTIMATE freedom,
and MAXIMUM profit. 

Pick any of the reasons not to attend from my paragraph above… or write a new one.   Truthfully, any of these reasons — once embraced — will make you feel okay about not attending.   As they say, if one excuse will do, ANY excuse will do.   BUT, if you are seriously driven, fire-in-the-belly determined to create success on your OWN terms, you’ll make your way to Dallas for this event….

The event designed with you in mind…
where NO stone is being left unturned…
where you BECOME part of the agenda…
where the speakers leave their keynotes at home, and just SHARE strategy with you…

Imagine… an event where it’s ALL about you.  Nothing to be sold.  Nothing about ME to be showcased.  In line with my purpose, this event…

Is
ALL
About
YOUR
Profit,
&
YOUR
Freedom.

Meet me there.  Register before it’s too late.  And then, bring a friend.

The post Business Success Over-Simplified appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Recognizing my tribe is now full of seriously driven women entrepreneurs who have NEVER been exposed to “hunting” and / or are quite appalled by it, I want to dive into a few details that we’ll ALL be able to relate to before we click away.

While the picture above is MY girl hunter, I want to take you back to my childhood… where I was (admittedly) quite emotional about the hunting culture that defined the winters in my home.

HUNTING FACT: “The hunt” started early.  Like, early, even for ME and I am an infamously early riser.

My dad woke up while it was nowhere close to sunrise.
It was COLD, dark and early.
Rain, sleet or snow… “made no never mind.”
All of this happened regardless.
He’d get dressed, go out back and load up the dogs.
(Two by two, into the truck. NOT a fast process.)

He’d then hop into the truck, where he and my brother would drive for 2 hours to reach their hunt club and they arrived while it was still dark.

BUSINESS RELEVANCE:  There is a certain commitment, a certain level of determination inherent in the hunt.

This wasn’t a passive hobby that happened if all the conditions were favorable.  My Dad worked two full time jobs when I was growing up. I know he got tired. I know that on many Saturdays, 3:30 AM EST came early.  I also know he didn’t miss a Saturday.

Question to  you:  If you were to honestly assess your own level of determination in business… how impressive is it?  

When it comes to your business, are you investing in yourself? Are you waking up early when you need to?  Are you willing to do YOUR VERSION of facing the elements of rain, sleet, or snow… on repeat, regardless?  Or do you check the weather on your phone, pull up the covers and hit snooze? Are you going where your BEST CHANCES of success are?  (Or is that too far to travel?)

Speaking of, meet me in Dallas.  This is a chance for Women Who WOW from all over the globe to come together, under ONE roof, in ONE hustle hotel, for two days to sharpen our ax, plot our success path, and connect with others who can elevate our vision, deepen our resolve and expand our reach.  Register here.  Moving on…

HUNTING FACT:  For a couple of FULL hunting seasons, my Dad never fired his gun. #noaction #noreturn #disappointment.

I kid you not… there were full hunting seasons, often 11 Saturdays, where my Dad never even SAW a deer.  All of this work, all of this consistency, all of this hustle and not even a GLIMPSE of a CHANCE for a return.

Now, as a kid, I celebrated these seasons. I was the hunter’s nightmare. I’d remove salt blocks, I’d be loud in the woods and scare off the deer.  I’d cry and ask my dad why he was a “murderer” of deer.  I’ve since made peace with hunting, as long as we eat what we kill, and we always do. But, back then… total nightmare.

While I was celebrating these fruitless seasons, I never considered how frustrating it must have been for my Dad.

BUSINESS RELEVANCE / QUESTION TO YOU:  How do you deal with frustrating seasons?  Do you give up? Show up less often?

Not once did I see my Dad not take the dogs, saving himself about 30 minutes in the morning.  Not once did I see my Dad go in late, or just catch the afternoon hunt. DESPITE not seeing what he wanted, he showed up regardless… exactly as he had during the seasons when he got MORE than his fair share of wins.

In business, even a frustrating / disappointing DAY can have us pulling back, looking down, slowing down our hustle… and — if you are to create the ULTIMATE FREEDOM & MAXIMUM PROFIT you deserve, you have GOT to show up regardless.  You’ve got to mind your mindset.  You’ve got to keep at it.

Here’s the truth, powerfully illustrated in this quote by Dan Kennedy… about attending his next event:

“Your decision… is about much, much more than attending or skipping some seminar. It is a decision about the legitimacy and seriousness of your “want to win.” About the level of determination of your hunt…. The trouble is, you can never know the cost of skipping.  Because my hunt was very determined and my seriousness about winning very profound, I have very very, very rarely skipped the places, events, or fields of possible opportunity relevant to my business activities.”

So, how SERIOUS is the level of YOUR determination about your success?

The post The Determination of The Hunt: Southern Style Success appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

I love a good motivational quote.  Truly, I do.   And I deeply appreciate those who share them multiple times a day.  While — newsflash — it IS possible to do what you need to do in business without FEELING like it, being motivated is certainly better than NOT being motivated.

Still, rather than simply SHARING the motivational quote du jour… I want to urge you to DO the quote.  BE the quote.  LIVE the quote.

Don’t just consume it and pass it on…

Take this quote for example, from the late, great Zig Ziglar:

We see this and we have two options:  SHARING it or DOING it.

I see this quote and I think, “Who have I helped today?”  I might also share it… but FIRST, I want to use these motivational quotes to CHALLENGE me… to challenge me to ACT.

Here are some additional motivational quotes that I’ve turned around and made into challenges.

Let’s live this out, shall we?

Because we’re the BEST at what we do… because we are women of high integrity… because this business for us is about — not ONLY income — but also impact and influence.

• Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect. — Mark Twain  CHALLENGE:  How can I ESCAPE the mediocre majority today? 
• If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you. —  Zig Ziglar CHALLENGE:  How can I build trust with my community today?
• The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.  — Peter Drucker  CHALLENGE:  What industry changes can I capitalize on today? 
• Sales are contingent upon the attitude of the salesman – not the attitude of the prospect. — W. Clement Stone CHALLENGE:  How can I BETTER my attitude towards the sales process today? 

The post What To DO With Motivational Quotes appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Terra — of the INCREDIBLE SITE, TerraBohlmann.com is a trainer and business consultant based in Texas. A Mom of 3 boys and a HUGE force to be reckoned with in business. She’s practical… she’s bold… she is genuine and warm, but DOES NOT MESS AROUND when it comes to profit.  Her site is one that is a “must visit” and she’s an expert that you SHOULD DEFINITELY FOLLOW.

I am honored to have her join me for this Practical Profits interview series through Women Who WOW. So, grab a cup of coffee, and get to know Terra.

terrabolmann.com

The post Practical Profits with PROFIT STRATEGIST, Terra Bohlmann appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

I remember the day my coach told me that filling my own LIVE event was a “master accomplishment” for my business.   And then, I set out to do just that…. 9 years ago.

I did it, and have done it many times since, but I’ve definitely learned a thing or two.

Go here for more on filling YOUR OWN events –with the RIGHT people.   (Written in 2012, but equally relevant today.)  

I’ve learned that while MANY women SAY they want live events, FEW actually carve out time and make the effort to attend.  These few, of course, have many things in common. They’re the NON-excuse makers… the hustlers… those who SHOW UP literally and figuratively in business.

I’ve learned that “those dates don’t work for me” is the GO TO, almost KNEE JERK reaction to an invite to a business event. lol…

I’ve learned that people will (literally) move heaven and earth TO MAKE THE DATES WORK when  they are hell bent on their own success and know an event will help them move towards their goals.

But most of all, I’ve learned that there’s NOTHING LIKE a LIVE EVENT to bring a community closer, to help you connect with OTHER ROCK STARS and to deliver SHIFTS for your business that MORE THAN LIKELY will never be made at home.

Why???

Because at home we are in our comfort zone, and rocking our own schedule.  We see the same people, hear the same people, and we read the same books.  Nothing in our home or office JOLTS us awake.  Live events give you a “pause,” a  parens, from your to do list, from your daily grind, from your own “stuff.”  To go to a live event, you must get ready, get dressed, consider what to wear, maybe take a flight… you arrive to find a NEW ENERGY.

And you leave a TON of distractions at home.

Everyone attending Women Who WOW LiVE! will get a copy of “How to make the MOST of Attending LIVE events!”  First step, show up.   You’re already way ahead of the game.

BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO LIVE EVENTS?

Well, in general, it ain’t good.

Remember when I said that MOST women entrepreneurs will TELL YOU they would love to attend your next LIVE event, well…. the reality is, it’s HARD to get them to actually show up.   AND I GET IT.

But it’s not just us.   I live in the women entrepreneur space but LIVE EVENTS in general are experiencing some troubling trends. Consider this:

After 146 Years, The Ringling Bros & Barnun & Bailey Circus is NO LONGER coming to town.

Great news for the animals, in my humble opinion, but not so great news for the future of LIVE EVENTS.  Because it’s not just the circus.  Do you know what else is down?

MOVIE THEATRE ATTENDANCE
MAJOR LEAGUE SPORTS ATTENDANCE
TRIPS TO THE LOCAL MALL

It’s all in decline.  SHARP, DANGEROUS decline if  you rely on any of these venues for profit.

So, here I sit…. staring down my own event… looking at the growing list of attendees and feeling PUMPED!!!  I am blown away (again) by the caliber  of those who are recklessly hacking away at the practical “constraints” that keep us home, isolated and in our own offices….  and making their way to Dallas!

I’ve asked a handful of them why they’re coming.  Why they took MASSIVE ACTION, cancelled events, cut vacations short, arriving one full week early just to make it work…  Many said it was ME.  They’ve been to my events before. They trust me to over-deliver.

But, that’s not the whole of it.  

The TRUTH of the MATTER is that they trust themselves.
And they know that ALL of us need a PUSH.
A PUSH they’re guaranteed to get at LIVE!
And — perhaps more importantly — guaranteed to miss if they stay home.

PLUS…

They know that RE-INVIGORATING, MOBILIZING, RE-IMAGINING their current business…. becoming THE architect of their IDEAL business… will require a STEP AWAY from their CURRENT REALITY.

I’ve had many people ask if I’ll have recordings of the LIVE event.  REALLY?  So you can, what? Listen to them in fits and starts while answering the phone and running from meeting to meeting?  So you can get all of the INFORMATION but NONE of the TRANSFORMATION?  So you can get all of the NOTES but none of the COMMUNITY?  So you can get the ACTION ITEMS but none of the ACCOUNTABILITY?   The hashtags but not the hugs?

No thanks.  (Actually, I may video the event… looking into it, but it will NOT be for sale. If I did this, it would be for attendees only, so they can LOOK BACK on their experience– not replace it.)

Because there IS no replacing a live event.  I mean, I can technically see the circus via YOUTUBE, but it’s not the same as being there.  I can sit on the phone with a friend and watch the same movie in separate locations, but it’s not the same as meeting a girlfriend for a movie.

I’ve had many people ask me if ____(insert your profession:  chiropractors, veterinarians, bloggers, attorneys, virtual assistants)___ should attend Women Who WOW LIVE!.  Well, let’s see: If you could use practical tools, strategies, contacts and SIMPLE systems designed to:

• create MORE demand for your work;
• establish a true intimacy with your DESIRED target market;
• make yourself a PREFERRED option, above all others;
• keep you focused, productive and profitable;
• get you not just FEATURED, but KNOWN in and by the media TRUSTED by your market;
• and more…

Then, yes.  So, come check us out.  If you’re a seriously driven woman in business, you owe it to yourself to get there. REGISTER HERE. TIME IS RUNNING OUT…. and while we’re not any where close to following in the footsteps of the now closing CIRCUS,  there WILL NOT be a more intimate, incredible, inspiring event like this one any time soon.

The post Are Live Events DEAD? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

There are certain things you never, ever forget.  Like the exasperation of being out of contact solution, but not having enough money in the bank buy more.    Or the shame of being so overwhelmed with the daily bills that something as simple as  $15 for a preschool field trip is enough to push you over the edge, financially.  Or being behind on nearly all of your bills and not knowing how you’ll catch up.   I know that loneliness of keeping your financial struggles to yourself, to protect your spouse from the aching pressure of it all…

I’m saying all of this now because there are times when I think my clients and members forget these realities that so consistently paved the road of my humble little business journey.  But I will never forget.

Because it wasn’t JUST about not having enough money.  Truth be told, back in those days, I COULD have (and almost did) get a job waiting tables to solve “the money problem.”

Of course, it WAS about the money, but also about so much more.

It was about having to question if I’d always struggle between feast or famine, and if “just getting by” was my destiny as an entrepreneur… or if I’d ever really make it.

It was about the agony of knowing that I was BORN for the big stage, for the main stage, but having to clamor with the masses to gain access to the “breakout session” stage.  Ugh.

It was about tolerating clients that I didn’t really love, just to pay the bills….  following the “rules” about creating business success, only to have them work JUST ENOUGH to keep my hopes up for more….

But what it was really about was this:

Even after I crossed the threshold of my first 6-figure year, I lived with the constant KNOWLEDGE that  I was under-earning, under-achieving…  selling myself short, selling my family short, and selling my BUSINESS short.

Because I was born for
and capable of
so
much
more.

THAT –right there —  is the gut wrenching knowledge that FINALLY became too heavy for me to bear, and I knew something had to change.  I was going to do this… and going to do it my own way… or I wasn’t going to do it at all.

I was going all in, because me trying to “stand out” all while following all the same rules as everyone else wasn’t working.  Who knew?

I DID discover a way to create a business around my persnickety preferences, even around my personality,  but it wasn’t until I was willing to lay down EVERYTHING I HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT BUSINESS SUCCESS.

Every blueprint I’d bought.
Every “launch program” I’d learned.
Every system I’d been taught.
Every paint-by-numbers school I’d attended.
Every “rule” I was told I had to follow.

I laid it all down, and put it aside.  After all, I’d tried everything they told me to try, right? What did I really have to lose?

And then, I took out my OWN playbook… something, by the way, I didn’t think had THAT much value.  After all, I was still struggling in business.  YET, when I looked back at my wins, regardless of how modest, I realized the following:   I ALWAYS WON when I:

•  bet on myself.
•  was WILDLY passionate about what I was selling, making me willing to do anything necessary to get people out of their own way.
•  made the MARKETING of my “thing” the same as the thing itself. In other words, I did BEST when you couldn’t tell when I was in launch mode, selling mode, or just plain serving mode.  I wanted to SERVE all day long, add value all day long, and make offers that really drew the right people.

This is a system, by the way, that works for all of us.   Go all in, get WILDLY passionate about what you’re offering your tribe and then SERVE them so much the “sell” just becomes an extension of your daily work.   THIS EXACT PROCESS is what we’re diving deep into in Dallas at Women Who WOW LIVE!  — the process of CUSTOM creating WILD success ON YOUR TERMS.  So, if you’re ready to lay down all of the “success-in-a-box” rules and bring ALL of yourself to your business, don’t let ANYTHING keep you from joining us.

Because going half-way… acquiescing, posturing, pandering for success…
WILL
NEVER
WORK.
EVER.

So, how about it?  Are you ready to leave the “success in a box” behind and try something new?  something totally and completely YOU?  Something so intrinsically tied to who YOU ARE and who you are TO YOUR MARKET that it’s literally impossible for someone else to replicate… or compete with?

If so, friend… you are in the right place! Hang around a while on our blog.   Come hang out with us in our online community… and also,  of course, get to Dallas before it’s too late! xo

The post Be Careful of “Success in a Box” Offers appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

In just three days, Women Who WOW members from all over the country will fly into Dallas, Texas to attend Women Who WOW LIVE!   We’re coming in from California, Utah, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Nevada, Florida, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Illinois and more.  But this is NOT “just another women’s conference.”  

We find the typical keynote far too  impotent to deliver hard-core, actionable strategies. (So we don’t have them.)

We don’t consider  “live event”  as synonymous with “pitch fest.” (Yuck….)

We don’t child-ize our members with fluff, B.S. and soft topics.

So, let me tell you what we’re (really) doing here.

• We’re rejecting “business as usual,” and claiming OUR IDEAL business…  on OUR terms.  
• We’re taking FuLL responsibility for our business, owning both our success AND acknowledging the steps we’ll take to get us from where we are RIGHT NOW to where we WANT and DESERVE to be.
• We’re dreaming AND doing.
• We’re taking practical steps to create both MAXIMUM profit AND ULTIMATE freedom in our business.
• We’re cheering each other on, picking each other’s brains and hustling together so we WIN — and win BIG — together.

WHO ARE these WOMEN WHO WOW?

Well, we’re successful, driven, and unapologetically committed to our calling.  We’re often the breadwinners in our family.   We’re change makers, job creators, and industry leaders.  ONE LOOK AT OUR ATTENDEES AND YOU’LL SEE THE DIFFERENCE.

We’re not industry- or age- specific.  We don’t discriminate along the lines of age, race, religion, sexual preference or political affiliation.  In those ways, we are — in fact — a melting pot.  We’ve got coaches, experts, physicians, veterinarians, attorneys, authors, financial gurus, and more in our midst.   Some of us are mothers, wives and grandmothers.  But not all.

What unites us… what makes “us” US and everyone else “them” is our attitude.  We’re unapologetically driven.  We’re supportive of each other in a way you don’t find many places. We’re authentic and profit driven.  We’re undeniably determined and goal-oriented.  And, we don’t care so much what “they” think.  We’re not “in business together” but make no mistake, we are a TEAM.

We think, live, act and do business very much outside the box.  We zig when they zag.   We do while they dream.    So, what kind of person attends Women Who WOW?  Only the best.  Women who defy the odds… just because we can.

So, Dallas, Texas… here we come.   I hope you’re ready for us!!!  Because we’re coming expectant… and will leave encouraged, empowered and equipped… ready to take NEW ground, determined to create HIGHER LEVELS OF SUCCESS, precisely on our terms.    I can hardly wait!

The post The (Real) POINT of Women Who WOW LIVE! appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

There is no crueler master than MR. UNFULFILLED POTENTIAL.  That ever present “knowing” that you’re flying way below your highest possible altitude… that nagging call that reminds you that you’re born for MORE… that honest, gut- wrenching realization that “one day,” along with other unicorns like “perfect timing” never came, at least not for you, at least NOT YET.

Having your own potential, your own dreams clear and visible is a beautiful thing.  IF you’re willing to lay it all down, lay it all on the line, and run the race to WIN.

But, if you’re playing small,
if you’re showing up only when circumstances are favorable,
if you’re holding back,  IN ANY WAY, 

Well… soon, you’ll come to RESENT being half-way there… being ALMOST where you want to be.  

I want you to look at this video clip, from one of my favorite movies, “Apocalypto.” Before you watch, just know that this 10 second clip happens just after the main character failed to kill the main villain.  (Violent, I know, but stay with me… there’s NO violence in this clip.) The villain is MOCKING Jaguar Paw… and he gives him a CRUEL nickname.  Take a look:

Almost.

Could that be YOUR business name?  “ALMOST?”

Almost ready.
Almost there.
Almost clear.
Almost consistent.
Almost 100% in.
Almost reaching your potential.
Almost launched.
Almost finishing.
Almost written.
Almost ready for a waiting list.
Almost a best seller.
Almost meeting your financial goals.

Ugggg.   ALMOST.  

Do you see the jeering look in this man’s face?  OOOO-LOCK….

Well, I know the pain, dare I even say the SHAME,  of looking in the MIRROR and seeing an “ooo-lock,” an ALMOST THERE woman entrepreneur.

I know the agony of KNOWING your potential… but NOT living it.  
And I know the reasons why.  
Because I lived here a LONG LONG time. 

The kids are too young.
There’s not enough time.
There’s no money in the budget to invest.
It’s just not happening.
Something always comes up.

This is just a sample of the sickening excuses I used for so long to keep me playing small.  BUT, the TOP ONE, if I were to be honest, was this one:

I’d hear this small voice in my head…
“Careful little girl…. this (big success) is gonna cost you.” 

This is some real talk, right?

If it’s not the real world circumstances it’s the mental chatter going on in the background.  So, let me go on the record and set ALL of this straight:

• Newsflash: Your kids are either old or young or whatever.  If you are a Mom, you will always be a Mom.  There’s no perfect age where your kids all of the sudden STOP needing a Mom and you’re free with all the time you need to step into YOUR potential.
• There’s NEVER enough time to do everything, but there’s ALWAYS enough time to do what MATTERS.  Make YOUR IDEAL BUSINESS Matter.  Work it in.
• There’s NO perfect timing, ever.
• We’re in business for ourselves. We write our own paychecks.  Need more MONEY? Sell something ESLE.  Start now.
• You are RIGHT… Something will ALWAYS come up.  Question: Will you ALLOW that something to be BIGGER or MORE IMPORTANT than playing full out?
• BIG success — your full potential — WILL cost you.  It will cost you your BEST effort. It will REQUIRE your absolute belief, your STEADFAST commitment.  But, have you ever considered what this “almost” existence is costing You?  Far more….

Look,  you can have EXCUSES or you can have what you WANT.  BUT, you get to — and you MUST —  decide.

As for me, I’ve already decided.
I am NOT an oooo-lock.
I am NOT an “almost.”

I will RUN THE RACE to WIN.
Not only when it’s sunny.
Not only when the wind is at my back.
Not only when I’m “inspired.”
Not only when things are going my way.
Not only when it’s easy.

But every.
single.
Day.
On repeat.

Join me?  Over in PlanetWOW.club.  
I’ll see you on the other side.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs,
but only one person gets the prize?
So run to win!  — 1 Corinthians 9:24

The post Could This Be YOUR Business Name? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

That’s what you really want, right?
To stand out?
To be the GO TO person for your chosen market?
To be a MUST FOLLOW?
To go from being a “best kept secret” (which — trust me — is only fun for so long) to someone PURSUED BY MANY… for interviews, by clients, by people wanting you to speak, write, teach?

While I did a full and proper training on this very topic for Women Who WOW members (which you can find here)  there’s one thing you MUST be willing to do if you want to stand OUT.

You must SHOW UP.
You must SHOW UP DAILY.
And… most importantly…
You must SHOW UP DAILY AS IF WORTHY OF YOUR MARKET’S ATTENTION.

BUT WHAT IF NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION? WHAT IF YOU HEAR CRICKETS? WHAT IF NO ONE READS WHAT YOU WRITE? WHAT IF NO ONE SHOWS UP LIVE TO YOUR LIVE STREAMS? 

What if?

Well, for starters, don’t be a wuss. What if you show up and no one pays attention? What if you write something brilliant and it doesn’t seem like anyone read it?

The answer to these “what ifs” dear friend, is this: what other people do isn’t up to you. Who cares? Their action or inaction is up to them. YOUR JOB IS TO SHOW UP and DELIVER.

Do you TRUST your message?
Do you KNOW it will impact people?
If so, because I know you’re so giving and generous, how could you POSSIBLY keep it to yourself?

Trust me… I have LONG referred to myself (affectionately) as a “nobody.” And yet…. people ARE listening.

I’ve gotten countless emails from people who I had NO IDEA were reading my “stuff.” They didn’t comment. They didn’t “like.” They didn’t share. But they said their LIVES were changed.

By me.

Because I showed up.
Often unprepared.
A lot of the times rushed, thinking my time spent messaging may end up being a “waste.”
Many times wondering if anyone ELSE was going to show up.
Sometimes hitting “Publish” or ending a live stream thinking, “Well, that sucked.” and wondering if I should even publish it at all.

Quick little secret: I showed up AS IF I were talking to hundreds of thousands. Always. Even “back then.” (And now, according to SOME metrics, I am.) One day, I’ll be impacting MILLIONS. 

So, today, I’ll show up AS IF these millions are already under my proverbial, online tent.

Do you BELIEVE in what you sell?
I’m asking you again…
Because if you’re not showing up DAILY and showing up as if YOUR MESSAGE is worthy of your market’s attention…

Then, I don’t believe you do. 

Arnold (of “I’ll be BOCK” fame) used to walk around and ask people if they wanted his autograph. At the time, he was an unknown body builder… unknown locally, unknown globally. Read about him sometime. The man just kept showing up, as if worthy of commanding an audience.

I read the Bible every single day and today, something new hit me.

Each of these men wrote different “books” of the Bible. They had a VERY limited audience. (Even today, we only get to know approximately 470 people in a LIFETIME… I imagine it was less back then.) Distribution options for their book was painfully limited and slow. PLUS, they had to trust someone else with their message. They had no platform. No coach. No editing team. No print on demand. They had NOTHING that would make them a “best seller.” NOTHING that would make them think they’d be read by millions and millions of people in however many languages.

They had NOTHING.
NOTHING but a message they HAD to share.
NOTHING but a message that they BELIEVED IN with ever fiber of their being.

As it turns out, though, YOUR MESSAGE is enough.

Because showing up DAILY, as if your MESSAGE were powerful ENOUGH to move mountains is just the beginning.

The post How To Stand Out On- and Off- Line appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Ariel Banayan, Mikey Adhoot and Amir Atighehchi started their company, Habit Nest, to help people hack the habits they’ve always wanted to acquire. They started it because they noticed the world’s most successful people, in all different domains, all shared very similar daily habits — i.e. reading, waking up early, practicing gratitude, living mindfully, exercising, and more.

And these success creators came in as a much anticipated sponsor of Women Who WOW LIVE! in Dallas, Texas.  Their morning sidekick journal wasn’t hidden in our amazing gift bag.  It was displayed proudly on the tables when our guests arrive.

Why?

Morning routines are CRITICAL to your success.
Habits that support your goals are CRITICAL to your success.
And, as the founder of Women Who WOW, I’ve never been more convinced of the POWER of writing your future into reality.

But, what did other Women Who WOW think?  Let’s see….

Denise Hughes, a money coach from California says, “Here is how I use this amazing jiggle my brain up book…I open it to random pages, like this one and take it in…read it…absorb it…and this particular reading is a bit of a mirror in the face kind of thing!”

“Mornings don’t stand a chance with the help of my Morning Sidekick
Journal! Love it!!”  says Virginia-based Courtney Buzzell of ProximoMarketing.com

From Donna Galatas, of The Galatas Group in Texas:  Self-care is a top priority for biz owners. Here I am prepping for another productive day with The Morning Sidekick Journal. Soooo helpful!

“Loved loved loved it!!” says the Million Dollar Woman, Richelle Shaw from her home in Las Vegas.

Barbara Pender, who lives in Florida and “Makes Social Simple” said she “Didn’t realize how consistent my morning routine was, thanks for making me shake it up.”

Shelley Smith of PremierRapport.com is based in Virginia… and she loved it too!!

The biggest lesson the founders of HabitNest.com are learning is the importance of creating genuine relationships with their readers and customers. It sounds cliché, but they’re taking it to a level where they’re investing real money and time in accountability phone calls and engaging heavily with them.

Like Women Who WOW, HabitNest.com is determined to be HIGH VALUE and HIGH TOUCH.  We were so thrilled to have them partner with us for our first official event of 2017.

The post Sponsor Saturday: Habit Nest for Success! appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

A long time ago, I read something that reminded me of the DEFIANT nature inherent in nearly every single success story. It said, “the official salute of the entrepreneur is the middle finger salute.” I must agree.

Wholeheartedly.

I am flagrant with my defiance of industry norms and rules. I’m not only willing to DEFY them, I’m disgusted — if I were to be honest — by anyone paying homage to them. Blindly following the rules, following the leader, doing what they do, saying what they say, adopting their language, hell… even their ACCENT…

“ME TOO!” they say,
“LET ME IN TOO,” they beg,
“I’M JUST LIKE YOU, I PROMISE,” they (publicly) plead.

All while pretending to value authenticity and empowerment.

Yuck.

Let me expose VERY CLEARLY what separates those who build an amazing business ON THEIR OWN TERMS and those who keep playing the game year after year in frustrating defeat:

Those who succeed on their own terms RECOIL (literally and often physically) at the mere THOUGHT of ACQUIESCING…. to anything…. to a system, to a leader, to a new law, to a “way things must be done.”

They hear “that won’t work.”
they may say, “Really?”
but then they get to work,
proving you wrong.

The rest? Those who will constantly “play” at business, make many “false starts,” have more branding changes than you have shoes… well, they READILY, QUICKLY and SHEEPISHLY accept limits imposed upon them.

This market won’t do that / pay that / attend that.
“okay.”

You can’t market like that to these people.
“Okay.”

You’ve got to look/sound/dress this way to get so and so’s attention.
“okay.”

Okay, okay, okay.
Led around by the nose,
acquiescing to norms, opinions, articles, suggestions.

Your ultimate success will DEPEND on you DEFIANTLY running your own race, making your own rules, showing up in a category of one.

A couple things to consider:

1) The world will NOT celebrate you making your own rules but will — in fact — DEMONIZE you when you succeed without bowing down to “what’s normal/ standard/expected.” Defy them anyway.

2) Any FOOL can tell you what won’t work,
what doesn’t apply to you,
to your industry,
why your market is SOOOOOO complex and hard.

Ignore them. Most of them have never even TRIED what they’re telling you can’t be done, btw. A point to consider heavily.

Do you want to succeed on your own terms? REALLY? Well, you’d better be willing to dust off your own middle finger salute, darlin’, defy the norms and RESIST limits.

Anything less than this and you risk sliding quietly into the 80%. (According to statistics 80% of businesses fail. THIS is where “norms” lead….)

Carry on, I guess.

Autonomy & Authenticity

P.S. If you want IN on Women Who WOW’s Autonomy & Authenticity program (and you DO!) private message me for details. We launch June 5th. 5 weeks designed to give you what you REALLY REALLY want.

To do business on YOUR terms.
By your rules.
To command the fees you’re TOTALLY worth…
And get them.

While being ruthlessly authentic.
To not have to twist yourself into a pretzel to “get the deal.”
To have people willing to pay and even to WAIT to do business with you.

This is what we really want, but it is NOT something that will eventually “automatically” happen.

Why?

Because…the world… your clients, your competitors, your industry and maybe EVEN your friends… are more comfortable with you doing things “the standard way.” The regular way. Charging fees THEY’re comfortable with… following the same rules that THEY follow… charging fees that keep everyone on the same “level…”

Your time in business doesn’t matter.
Your industry doesn’t matter.
Your current level of income doesn’t matter.

Because ANYONE can do what I’m going to teach a few of you to do.

Unfortunately, WAY too few ever do… because it takes — in the words of two of our Women Who WOW members — “BRASS OVARIES” to do so.

It will also take some defiance.
And grit.

This program will:
— Expose the 12 SPECIFIC factors that will IMMEDIATELY impact the LEVEL of authenticity and autonomy you will enjoy — PROFITABLY — in your business.
— Usher in the independence you want by shifting just a FEW key “rules” in your business.
— Arm you for how to graciously handle the pushback you’ll INEVITABLY face when you start doing business on your own terms.
— Show you what you MUST do, STOP doing, get and GET RID OF in order to achieve the autonomy and freedom you want, and deserve.
— Arm you with the concepts, tools, words, phrases, and more that you need to see if you EVER want to TRULY do business on your own terms.

I am Sooooooo excited. PM me on Facebook for details.

The post How Easily Do You Acquiesce, Accept, and “Obey” Limits In Your Business? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

(HINT: THEY’D BETTER BE.)

If self-employment were as easy as it looked, no one would have a J-O-B, right? I mean, the whole idea of depending exclusively on yourself scares the pants off of most (sane) people. They’d rather show up, on time, dress according to code, leave when they can and get paid EVERY FRIDAY regardless of what sold, didn’t sell, etc.

Nothing wrong with this, or these people. In fact, I’m passionately married to one of them. But what I’ve realized is that — for the most part — their “job” is sort of a “parens” from their normal life.

They dress a certain way, behave a certain way, work prescribed hours, follow the rules… all so they can leave and have a couple days a week “OFF” where they can do what they WANT to do.

WHY DOESN’T EVERYONE JUST QUIT AND DO THE SELF-BOSSER THING?

First, some seriously just aren’t interested. My best friend is this way. For others, though, they have known or seen or even experienced too many businesses that “couldn’t make it.”

And so self-employment seems TOO RISKY.

It’s funny, though… The “civilians” or those with J-O-Bs understand something that so many active business owners tend to forget once leaving the safety zone of the employed.

Those who view what we do as TOO RISKY understand that the CRUX of success in business is making ENOUGH SALES to keep everything afloat.

THEY get this.

But, WE too often forget.

We go into business and get so DEEP into branding and networking and rebuilding our websites. We dive deep into a year-long business school, or a 9-month mastermind. And we keep honing our SKILLS and getting our name out there, that we forget what these civilians KNOW:

SUCCESS COMES FROM SALES, BABY.

So, let me ask YOU: Do your DAILY HABITS lead to more sales? Do you have DAILY sales habits that keep the flow of money in your business coming IN?

If not, friend, you’re in the danger zone. PART of the reason so many business owners voluntarily endure “feast or famine” mode is that they sell ONLY when they need money.

NOT SMART.

And not generous.

Because you know what you’re selling helps people, right??? You know that it relieves stress, builds income, strengthens relationships, fosters good health, prepares them for retirement, protects their home or family, or adds to their life in some significant way, RIGHT???

And yet, you’re still willing to distance yourself from daily selling? BE GENEROUS. OFFER TO SERVE. INVITE PEOPLE INTO YOUR WORLD.

Network, sure…. build relationships, but when you can help, let them know you can help. INVITE them to work with you.

Work on those sales funnels, Of course… They’re necessary, but they do NOT replace DAILY SALES HABITS. (I’ve got a list of 10 simple sales activities that may inspire you —on our Women Who WOW site, LOG IN> MONTHLY TRAININGS > UNDER FEBRUARY TRAINING. womenwhowow.com.)

Work on your branding, definitely… but allow your brand to be a BY-product of doing amazing business. (and, of course, to do amazing business, you’ve got to SELL.)

So, listen to your civilian friends. They KNOW how important sales are to business success. They see it, from a distance… they know that if you don’t sell enough, you’re in a danger zone.

So, sell already.
It’s the GENEROUS and RESPONSIBLE thing to do.

P.S. If you’re not already a member of Women Who WOW, where seriously driven women entrepreneurs go to create WILD success ON THEIR OWN TERMS, what are you waiting for? Find our more here: bmichellepippin.com/womenwhowow.

The post Are Your Daily Habits Leading To More Sales? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Well, for a certain percentage of the population… the do-ers, the entrepreneurs, the job creators, those taking risks and betting on themselves… every time.

Why?

Because it is our second nature to think like this.

I’ll never forget the call I got from a then-client. HBO had heard of her company and sent a threatening “cease and desist” letter. My response? Stop the Press. HBO, the cable channel, is threatened by you? THIS is a great day friend… Let’s ride this wave all the way to the shore.

I don’t remember the man’s name, but years ago a man had a direct mail order business selling rabbit’s feet with “chants” that were sold to cure cancer, loneliness, etc. Well, it turned out that the government didn’t like his claims and found them “illegal.” So, he STOPPED selling the rabbit’s feet, sold ONLY the chants, called them prayers and then was protected by a religious freedom clause. (Higher profits without the rabbit’s feet.)

I’m not suggesting this as a blueprint, lol… I’m just pointing out some things about the THINKING about adversity. MOST shut down when facing adversity. They see a limit, slow down and then stop when told.

They get knocked down and feel like it’s a sign…. maybe they should give up.

But not you.

And not me.

Obstacles — to the successful — are little more than opportunities to RECOMMIT to our goals. I mean, how committed are you REALLY when you “course correct” every time you see a little obstacle?

Not very.

Also, some “adversities” are huge opportunities. Forget politics for a minute…. and let’s just look at numbers. Before Nordstrom’s dropped Ivanka Trump’s line, she was ranked #550 in sales by the fashion search engine LYST. After the big “drop,” her line rose to #11 in sales. (Not sure what it is today, as this stat was from late March.)

I don’t know Ivanka, but I’m sure she — like us — had a “pit in the stomach” response when she got the news. I’m sure she wasn’t immediately thinking, “well, this will really catapult my brand.”

My point is that we should FLEX OUR REFRAME MUSCLE more often and more deliberately.

Asking:

What is the hidden opportunity in whatever adversity we’re facing now, or will soon face?

What can I leverage?

What is the best next step?

How can this serve me?

I can’t tell you how “mired in adversity” I felt in the early days of my business. My schedule (bogged down with nursing, diapers and my heartfelt pull towards these little humans who called me MOM) in addition to my non-existent budget seemed in constant contrast with my drive and desire to build something of significance in the market.

No time.
No money.
And no room for error or a long learning curve.
Need.
Cash.
Now.

Yet…. 2008 comes around and just as I was really seeing an uptick in my business, other businesses (Previously “fat” with extra profit and access to tons of credit) found themselves in GUESS WHAT position?

NO time.
And no money.
And no room for error or a long learning curve.
Need.
Cash.
Now.

But needing to market, grow, and build their bottom line.

The seeds of Women Who WOW were born… out of adversity, turned into an opportunity.

So, what adversity are you facing right now? And how can we reframe it?

The post When Does Adversity Turn Into Opportunity? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

Already mad at me for the title? Keep reading, friend… I’m just getting started.

Last night, my daughter’s softball team wrapped up their season in the first round of the state playoffs. It was a tough loss.

There’re few things I enjoy more in life than watching any of the three of my kids play sports… competing to win…. staring down the competition… digging deep…. and refusing to lose, even when the chips are stacked against them.

I love the psychology of winning and watch it in nearly every game, match or meet.

You can always tell a team that is well-versed in the art of intimidation. They come out to music. They are well disciplined in their “practice” before the start of the game, making this “practice” more of a performance. Their hope? to instill a preliminary sense of “impending defeat” in their opponents, to make them feel like they’ve probably already lost.

It’s a show. And great coaches harness its power and choreograph it brilliantly.

To my utter dismay and frustration, I have seen it work against my kids’ teams far more often than for us. This wasn’t the case last night, but nothing boils my blood like watching the girls I’ve loved and coached (from the sidelines) since they were 8 or 9 years old walk out onto the field and play not to lose.

Watching these girls be defeated thru blatant and pre-choreographed intimidation tactics by a team of equal or LESS talent is infuriating.

Maybe because it reminds me of a time when I was beaten before the competition started. I was in a national pageant and watched all of these “pageant girls” walk into the hotel. Perfectly polished and poised. I was IN pageants, but never a pageant girl. I’d won my state JUST LIKE THEM. Yet, I lost…. before the pageant started. Right then and there, I lost sitting in that hotel lobby as a group of about 20 of them paraded through.

If only I had known how REFRESHING it would have been for the judges for me to show up AS ME… If only I had known the competitive value of being ruthlessly authentic.

Nope… I showed up a smaller version of myself… defeated from the beginning… intimidated.

So, here’s where this lands for me.

I determined on the flight home from that pageant to NEVER be intimidated again…. not by circumstances… and DEFINITELY not by a person. I can honestly say that from that day (at 15 years old) to this one, I have kept this promise to myself.

I REFUSE TO BE INTIMIDATED.
EVER.

I also — outside of the sports arena — don’t believe in deliberately intimidating others. This isn’t what I teach… the posturing, the posing, the intimidation. It’s B.S. and not necessary. I don’t WANT to lead a tribe of bullies.

NO WAY.

I just want our hearts to be SURE.
I just want our spirit to be CONFIDENT.
I just want us to be UNABLE TO BE INTIMIDATED.

We SHOULD be un-intimidatable. =)

We know who we are.
We know what we’re called to do, who we were created to BE.

And when we show up as RUTHLESSLY, FULLY AUTHENTIC, we have no one else to intimidate. Because when we’re fully ourselves, we operate in a competition-free zone.

Here’s to US… Winning — in business, in love and in life — because we’re sure, confident and unable to be intimidated.

The post Women Winning….Thru Intimidation? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

…IT FEELS LIKE YOU CAN’T EVEN BREATHE.

The first time I heard someone describe MY feelings towards money ACCURATELY, they equated it to oxygen. A perfect analogy, I thought.

When I was “running out” of it, I literally felt like I was unable to breathe… everything was labored… my time, my energy, my very ESSENCE was deflating. When I got another payment, I’d INFLATE once again, take a deep breath, but then…

THEN, I got back on that treadmill… I’d see the money dwindling and despite “holding on tight” to it, I’d feel that tightness in my chest.

Need.
More.
Money.

JUST LIKE OXYGEN.

If you’ve never been here because you were born with wealth or you married (or divorced) “well” and have a settlement, this may seem so foreign to you. That’s okay… share this with someone who DOES need it. I’ll be back tomorrow with another message.

But to everyone else, I want to first tell you I know exactly how you feel. I know the tension of wanting to do what you’re called to do, but feeling this pressure regarding MONEY… I’ve experienced the tightrope you walk of ENVISIONING abundance, but when you open your eyes, seeing LACK.

I know the shame of making every single decision based on what you can afford… the anxiety of a weekend coming up and not having enough money to pay the relatively MODEST expenses for what you have planned.

Truthfully, there’s a certain part of me that STILL feels shame over those early years. Looking back, I realize that I was always in control of my income, but it took me “too long” to really act on that dominion.

Instead, I operated in fear and lack.
I did a lot of HOPING.
And even a lot of PRAYING.

But, my ACTION… well, it was stifled. I wanted clients to come to me and for them to see how amazing I was. I wanted them to LINE UP, card in hand, ready to pay. I wanted them to treat me as a partner, and not as a hired hand. I wanted them to take my advice, act on it.

I wanted all of these things, and I wanted abundance, more money, FREEDOM around money.

But, when I was “out of money,” I felt sluggish…. sometimes even sick to my stomach. My creative cash-creating self was just stifled. I wasted time, procrastinating.

If I had been working with a coach at the time, (and I should have been) they would have told me something to do…. and I have NO DOUBT that I would have thought of 10 reasons why my business, my list, my industry was “different” and wouldn’t respond to that.

I am sure some people reading this will feel the same. They’ll read these action steps and they’ll stay in doubt. But, for those of you who are DONE with this hand-to-mouth existence, you’ll find comfort, energy and even — yes — MONEY in these next four “to do” items.

1) CREATE a MORNING RITUAL.

This ritual should FEED YOUR SOUL. It should help you set the direction for your day and it should include ONE thing that helps you connect, serve, reach your target market.

My own morning ritual begins with a cup of coffee and my Bible time. Then, I journal about whatever God puts on my heart, but also about what my message TO YOU is going to be that day. Then, I do what I’m doing now… I type up an article, which I will share all over social media and also on my blog. 9 times out of 10, it will also have a call to action…. as this one does.

When you have a habit of this, it keeps you moving forward, it begins your day with momentum, and it keeps you in front of (serving and leading) your target market. Not bad for something that ALL happens before 8 AM, right?

Habits/Rituals get done. No matter how cash/oxygen deprived you feel/are.

2) PLAY WITH NUMBERS.

I have no idea why this came up for me this morning, but I wrote in my journal, “Numbers light me up.” I love playing with numbers. For instance, if I had a $40K per month goal — and didn’t want to work with private clients — I’d ONLY have to sell about 90 Women Who WOW memberships. JUST 3 a DAY.

I know that in order to get THREE people to say yes to WOW (it’s priced as a NO BRAINER yes), I only have to ask 7 people.

7 People PER DAY.
40K per month.

This realization came from playing with numbers.

So, PLAY with numbers. have some fun with it. Do you want to earn even $5K per month? GREAT. How many different ways can you do that? Can you sell ONE person a $5K program? Can you create a $500 program and sell it to even TEN people? Do you have a list that would buy a $50 program from you?

I think the key is in the PLAYING…. there are SO MANY ways to earn money. Play with YOUR numbers, do it daily… look at them, make them real.

3) SEE THE POSSIBILITIES.

Always know that there are people around, sometimes “lurking” in the shadows, around the perimeters of your business who are watching, wondering if they should reach out. There are people in your life RIGHT NOW who you need to ASK… INVITE to step into a working relationship with you. SEE the possibilities. Look with fresh eyes. They ARE there. Low hanging fruit. Then… the ask:

4) ASK 10 PEOPLE PER DAY TO WORK WITH YOU.

Now, I’m losing you, right? WAIT….don’t walk away just yet. Because, when you get “desperate enough,” you always ask… you always invite… you always end up inviting people to do business with you, right? WHY WAIT??????

Create an offer that excites you. (See our LAUNCH ANYTHING training in the membership site for more on how you can launch something that makes money immediately.) Send it out to your list. (That counts as ONE ask, btw… no matter how many people are on your list.) THEN, ask one influential person to also share your offer. (That counts as ONE ask.) NOW, send that offer to EIGHT INDIVIDUALS and don’t be LaZY about it.

Don’t just send a link, but let them know why it’s for them… why you thought of them. ASK and then follow up.

MORNING RITUAL.
PLAY WITH NUMBERS.
SEE THE POSSIBILITIES.
MAKE 10 ASKS.

Do these four action steps every single day and money will STILL feel like oxygen but in a completely new and abundant way. It won’t feel like it’s being sucked out of the room, but like you’re out on your deck, breathing deep, listening to the chorus of birds chirping around you. No tightness. No fear. No anxiety. Just deep, slow breaths.

P.S. For Women Who WOW members, I have several great trainings this week as part of membership. The first today is The Architecture of Sales Proposals that Nearly ALWAYS Get the YES! and another is Friday: How To Go From $60K per year to multiple Six Figures.

BUT, we have a 5 week deep dive program coming up in June called “AUTHENTICITY & AUTONOMY” that will not only help you create money on demand but in a way that is completely ON YOUR TERMS. Message me on Facebook for details.

The post Read This When You Need Money So Badly… appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

BUSINESS AUTONOMY HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HOW EASILY YOU ACCOMMODATE INTERFERENCES & INTERRUPTIONS.

I remember when El Chapo was named a new Billionaire in Forbes magazine. It was the perfect “real world” example of what was then my EMAIL LEAD MAGNET all about the “marketing and sales tactics for prostitutes and drug dealers.” (You can PM me for your own copy.)

I’m fascinated by this underground world of business because they — like me — weren’t super interested in “networking” or “getting their name out there.” lol… They had some “constraints” that could have kept them playing small… entire task forces devoted to putting them out of business…

And yet, still, they carried on, in a few cases like El Chapo, creating Billions.

Now, I’m not advocating their industry, products and certainly not the WAY they do business, I want to point out something about El Chapo that IS instructive.

He had a VIOLENT reaction to anything that may interfere with his business.

This included interruptions in deal flow.
Interference in delivery.
Interruptions in harvest.
Interruptions in transport.
Legal interference.

Anything that was seen as a POSSIBLE interference was seen as — and treated as — the enemy, and despite all of the forces out to shut him down, for a long time, his enterprise flourished.

Again, not advocating for this scumbag, but there are lessons to be learned EVERYWHERE. My question to you is this:

how easily do YOU accommodate interferences and interruptions?

Interruptions to your day, your schedule your flow?
Interferences in your business, your messaging, your own agenda?

I’ll cover this topic in more detail in our AUTONOMY & AUTHENTICITY course, but for now, I want you to just start to consider your own tolerance for interruption.

–How easily do you shift out of your own zone to attend to someone else?
–How readily do you abandon your agenda?
–How gracefully do you walk away from your own “flow” to accommodate the tyranny of the urgent?

Now, I’m not suggesting we start beheading people for interrupting our business agenda. BUT, I AM suggesting that we begin defending our agenda, our goals, our business with a bit more oomph.

Because having FREEDOM in our business, having TRUE autonomy DEPENDS on our SWIFT and DELIBERATE reaction to interference and interruptions.

Here are a few areas to consider:

How and when to clients/employees have access to you?

How do you deal with the tyranny of the urgent?

What hours of EVERY DAY does no one have access to? How do you protect this time and how do you invest it?

There’s so much more about AUTONOMY to come.

In our upcoming 5-Week program we’ll:
— Expose the 12 SPECIFIC factors that will IMMEDIATELY impact the LEVEL of authenticity and autonomy you will enjoy — PROFITABLY — in your business.
— Usher in the independence you want by shifting just a FEW key “rules” in your business.
— Arm you for how to graciously handle the pushback you’ll INEVITABLY face when you start doing business on your own terms.
— Show you what you MUST do, STOP doing, get and GET RID OF in order to achieve the autonomy and freedom you want, and deserve.
— Arm you with the concepts, tools, words, phrases, and more that you need to see if you EVER want to TRULY do business on your own terms.

I am Sooooooo excited. PM me on Facebook for details.

The post Business Autonomy: How Do You Accommodate Interferences? appeared first on b. michelle pippin.

EVERY DAY I’M HUSTLIN’

HUSTLE.

This is a word that can trigger #womenentrepreneurs — largely because we see the word HUSTLE and immediately think of a harried schedule, no time to breathe, no time to enjoy life… we see HUSTLE and envision a rushed, pillar-to-post existence… an 8 to late “grind” that has us seeking an escape.

THAT’S WHY WE MUST REDEFINE HUSTLE.

Or Define it more accurately, adjusting our DEFINITION of the hustle so that it’s something we absolutely ADORE. What if HUSTLE became a perfect fit???

Here’s the thing. My business changed, turned around, saw a huge increase when I fell in LOVE with the hustle when I got passionate about my own daily GRIND.

I never fell in love with a RUSHED DAY.
I never fell in love with being scheduled from 8 to late.

DEFINITELY NOT. I HATE THAT CRAP.

I fell in LOVE with my own “evolved” definition of HUSTLE, and then I adjusted my DAILY GRIND to match.

So, here’s HUSTLE, defined the WomenWhoWOW way:

Doing the work you were BORN to do, day in and day out, without apology, excuse or exhaustion.. because when you’re doing THIS work, you create FREEDOM in your business and the WORK ITSELF is fuel for each day.

Let’s break it down.

Doing the work you were BORN TO DO.

The work you are uniquely qualified for, in a way that suits your schedule, personality, lifestyle preferences. this is the work that is SO unique to YOUR DNA that you operate in a competitive-free vacuum, creating both DEMAND and FREEDOM because these two things go hand in hand.

Doing it — the hustle — day in and day out without apology…. because when you’re doing NUANCED work that is uniquely yours, you’ll drive some people away. They won’t appreciate it. They won’t get it. That’s okay… let them go, wish them well.

Doing “the hustle” day in and day out without excuse… because — seriously — you can’t NOT do the work. It’s PART of who you are… it OOZES from your pores.

I’m reminded of this Bible verse where Jesus says that if his disciples kept quiet, “even the ROCKS would cry out.” This is how I’ve always felt when I’ve tried to FORCE myself out of the “hustle,” like the last time I was in Jamaica, vowing NOT to “work.” I can push it down for a while but eventually, I find myself coaching other entrepreneurs at the dinner table, dreaming and scheming… because I just can’t separate THIS ALIGNED HUSTLE from who I am… I just can’t keep it hidden, I can’t push it down.

Moving on. Doing the daily hustle without EXHAUSTION, because being ON PURPOSE and FULLY ALIGNED is amazingly clean fuel for your body. If you’re EXHAUSTED, you’re either doing the WRONG work or you’re doing it in a way that DEPLETES rather than fuels you. If this is the case, remember:

WHAT YOU DO is up to you.
HOW you do it is up to you.
You ARE the boss.

Doing business YOUR WAY is THE FASTEST WAY to BUILD DEMAND for your work and FREEDOM in your business. When you fully align your work, your schedule, your marketing (THE HUSTLE) with your CORE desires and preferences, it’s then that you opt out of the “competition zone.”

So, here’s the challenge today…

Write out YOUR OWN DELIBERATELY DESIGNED HUSTLE PLAN.

how?

Answer this: What does an IDEAL day look like for me? What does it feel like? How do I spend my mornings? My afternoons? My evenings?

Now, what if THIS is the exact stuff that made you money? What is THIS is the exact stuff that brought in clients?

I can tell you that 90% of my time is spent EXACTLY according to my own preferred way of “hustling” for my business. I need no escape and yes — I DO love the hustle. And all this stuff I love… it builds my business.

The post Hustle: Why I’m Hustlin’ Every Day appeared first on b. michelle pippin.